Self-sealing closure for receptacles



July 16, 1929. A. HAMMERSTEIN SELF SEALING CLOSURE FOR RE CEPTACLES Filed July 19, 1928 1N VENTOR fRThQ/R ILAQMMEBS TE/N A TTORNEYS Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR HAMIEBBTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

emu-ammo CLOSURE ron nacsrncms.

Application filed July 19, 1928. Serial No. 294,012.

' a closure of simple construction whereby the receptacle is automatically and eiliciently sealed against the admission of moisture and to prevent unintentional expulsion of its con- I tents, and which may be readily operated at will, to permit intentional expulsion of-said contents.

Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation showing a salt cellar equipped with the closure, the parts being in normal sealin position in which the receptacle is closed;

ig. 2 is an exterior elevation looking at right angles to Fig. 1 with the parts in position to permit the contents to be expelled, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, the closure comprises a tubular member '5 whichis preferably cylindrical in form, although this is not essential, as any other suitable cross-sectional shape may be substituted if desired, or found more practical. The tubular member 5 is open at its opposite. ends and is provided with an external annular flange 6, and with an axial extension 7 screwthreaded externally as indicated at 8 for connection with the receptacle for which the closure is designed. The tubular member 5 is constructed to permit the expulsion of the contents of said recep'tacle at will, and accordingly is shown in the drawings as provided in its peripheral wall with an exit opening-9, which may be of rectangular form and extend circumferentially of the tubular member 5 in'the manner indicated in Fig. 2. The closure further includes sealing means, axially slidable upon the tubular member 5 in surface engagement with both the inner and outer surfaces thereof, and adapted to normally close and seal the exit o'pening'9, both from the inside and the outside. In the illustrated example, this seali means comprises a sleeve 10 axially slidabe within the tubular member 5 and arranged to mrmally project beyond and close the exit opening 9 from the inside. The sleeve 10 is constructed to bring the exitopening -9 or its equivalent into communication with the interior of the receptacle when it is desired to expel either all or a part ofthe contents thereof and in the drawings is accordingly provided with an exit aperture 11 similar in form and dimensions to the exit opening 9; the exit aperture 11 is located and arranged on the sleeve 10 so that in the normal position of the latter, said aperture 11 will be out of registry with the exit opening 9, as shown in Fig. 1. The cross sectional form of'the sleeve 10 corres onds to that of the tubular member 5, and its dimensions are such that it will snugly fit the interior of said member 5 in frictional surface engagement therewith, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3; the inner end of the sleeve 10 is open, while its outer end may be closed, or open as shown in Fig. 1, and in the latter case may be provided with g an inwardly projecting annular flange 12 at said outer end. The sealing means further consists of a cap 13 externally slidable upon the tubular member 5 and having its end wall in engagement with the outer end of the sleeve 10, as shown in Fig. 1; if desired, the cap 13 may be permanently attached to the sleeve 10 in any conventional manner, or it may simply be in engagement therewith, in which case the cap may be removable to facilitate disassembling of the closure should this become necessary. If the cap is removable as suggested above, provision is made in any suitable manner to prevent unintentional dislocation of said cap without interfering with the intentional removal thereof. The cap is dimensioned and shaped to fit the external surface of the tubular member 5 in frictional engagement therewith and so that the exit opening 9 will be covered or closed from the outside by said cap 13 when the parts are in the normal position as shown in Fig. 1. The cap is constructed to permit removal of the contents of the receptacle'when this isdesired, and as shown in the drawing is provided with an exit aperture 14 located in registry with the exit aperture 11 of the sleeve 10; the exit aperture 14 is shaped and dimensioned to correspond to the shape and dimensions of the exit opening 9, and is so located that it will be brought intoregistry with said exitopening 9 when the closure is operated to permit removal of the contentsof the receptacle.

The closure further includes a coil spring 15 located interiorly thereof and having its one end in engagement with the annular flange 12 of the sleeve 10 and its other end in contact with an inwardly extending annular flange 16 formed at the inner end of the tubular member 5, as shown in Fig. 1; the diameter of the coil spring is such that it will be in continuous frictional engagement with the interior surface of the sleeve 10 for the purpose to be more fully set forth hereinafter. 1

"Any suitable means may be provided for arresting the outward movement of the com bined sleeve 10 and cap 13 under the influence of the spring 15; in the illustrated example, this means comprises a slot 18 formed in the tubularmember 5, said slot 18 being arranged H to co-operate with the pin 17 to also arrest the inward movement of the sleeve 10 and cap 13 at the desired point.

In constructions in which the cap 13 is removable, as previously set forth herein, it

, is desirable to provide a means for positively determining the positlon of the cap 13 upon the tubular member 5 and sleeve 10, in order that the exit aperture 14 may be in proper alignment with the exit aperture 11 and the exit opening 9. For this purpose the cap 13, in the illustrated example, is provided with a groove 19 extending lengthwise thereof and adapted to receive the pin 17 which is outwardly extending beyond the tubular member 5 for this purpose; the pin 17 and groove 19 thus function in the natureof a key screwed into the open end thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. In the preferred arrangement, the receptacle 20 is provided at its open end with an internally, screwthreaded metallic collar 21, suitably secured to the receptacle and'arranged to receive the threaded portion 8 of the closure. In the final position of the closure on the receptacle 20, the annular flange 6 rests in surface engagement with the 7 end surface of the metallic ring 21 and thereby produces an absolutely moisture proof connection betweenthe closure and the recep tacle 20 at this point; if desired, a suitable packing may be located between the flange 6 and the ring 21 to still further guard against the entrance of moisture into the receptacle 20. The latter may be of anysuitable shape or dimensions, best adaptedfor the purposes for which it is designed and in the illustrated example typifies a conventional salt cellar.

In the normal position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the exit opening 9 is securely sealed from theinside by the sleeve 10 and from the outside by the cap 13, while the slot 18 is likewise securely closed from the inside by the sleeve 10; if means other than the pin 17 and groove 19 is provided for positioning the cap 13 on the tubular member 5, or said means is omitted, the cap'13may serve also to seal the slot 18 from the outside. In any case, moisture is absolutely prevented from reaching the interior of the receptacle 20 through the exit opening 9 and the slot 18. When it is desired to remove a part or all of the contents of the receptacle'20, a pressure isexerted upon the end wall of the cap 13 to axially move said cap 13 and sleeve lOlengthwise of the tubular member 5 against the tension of the spring 15 until this axial movement is arrested by engagement'ofthe pin '17 with the lower end of the slot 18 In this position of theparts, which is illustrated in Fig. 2, the exit apertures 11 and 14 are in conterminous registry with the exit opening 9, so that as much of the contents of the receptacle 20 as is desired may be removed by simply inverting the receptacle and either shaking out the contents or simply permitting the latter to flow out by gravity. lVhen' the desired amount of the contents of the receptacle 20 has been expelled, pressure is simply removed from the cap 13 to permit the spring 15 to automatically restore'the parts to the sealing position shown inFig- 1. As the cap 13 and sleeve 10 are axially moved inward under pressure and outward by the spring 15 when the pressureis removed, the spring 15 as it is compressed and expanded will develope a rubbing contact on the inner surface of the sleeve 10 and thereby thoroughly clean the same by scraping any of the contents of the receptacle 20 which may have adhered thereto any other material which may cling to said inner surface of the sleeve will be similarly removed with the result that the closure is maintained atall times in a condition of maximum efficiency.

The construction of the closure and its combination with the receptacle 20 are such that operation of the device may easily be brought about by grasping the receptacle in the palm and fingers of the hand and using the thumb to press the cap 13 and sleeve 10 inwardly against the tension or the spring 15. The parts are thus held in their inner position without effort on the part of the user, and at the same time the receptacle 20 is comfortably held in a position to permit it to be easily inverted and the contents to be easily removed in the desired amount. In other words, the inward pressingof the parts and the removal of the contents is easily accomplished without requiring any special:manipulation of the receptacle 20 other than perhaps a shaking movement which may be necessary to bring about the expulsion of the contents. The closure is specially adapted for use with receptacles designed to contain salt, sugar and other pulverized materials likely to become caked by the action of moisture or otherwise affected to interfere with the granular or pulverized form thereof. The closure is easily operated and requires no particular skill in its operation, and may be readily combined with and removed from the receptacle for which it is designed, and in its preferred form may be disassembled should this for any reason become necessary. The spring 15 or its equivalent will at all times be constructed of a material capable of resisting any destructive action which may be developed by the contents of the receptacle 20, this being true also of the other parts of the closure.

Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A closure of the kind described comprising a tubular member adapted to be secured to a receptacle and provided with an exit opening in its peripheral wall, a sleeve axially slidable within said tubular member and normally closing said exit opening from the inside, said sleeve being provided with an exit aperture adapted to be brought into registry with said exit opening by an axial movement of said sleeve, a cap engaging the outer end of said sleeve and normally closing said exit opening from the outside, said cap be ing externally slidable upon said tu ular member and having an exit aperture in align ment with the aperture of said sleeve and movable therewith into registry with said exit opening, and a coil spring within said sleeve for normally maintaining the latter and said cap in an outer position and for returning them thereto, whereby said exit apertures are normally out of registry with said exit opening, said spring engaging the inner surface of said sleeve to exert a cleaning action thereon as said sleeve is axially operated.

2. A closure of the kind described comprising a tubular member adapted to be secured to a receptacle and provided with an exit opening in its peripheral wall, a sleeve axially slidable within said tubular member and normally closing said exit opening from the in side, said sleeve being provided with an exit aperture adapted to be brought into registry with said exit opening by an axial movement of said sleeve, means movable in external surface engagement with said tubular member and normally sealing said exit opening from the outside, said means being movable with said sleeve to free said opening from the outside, and a spring within said sleeve for normally maintaining the sleeve and said means in an outer position and for returning it thereto whereby said exit opening is normally closed both from the inside and outside, said spring engaging the inner surface of said sleeve to exert a cleaning action thereon as said sleeve is axially operated.

3. A closure of the kind described comprising a tubular member adapted to be secured to a receptacle and provided with an exit opening in its peripheral wall, sealing means axially slidable upon the tubular member in surface engagement with both the inner and outer surfaces thereof and-adapted to normally close said exit opening both from the inside and the outside, and to free the same, and an internal spring for normally maintaining said sealing means in position to seal said exit opening and for returning it thereto, said spring engaging said means to exert a cleaning action thereon as said means is slidably operated.

4.. A closure of the kind described comprising a tubular member adapted to be secured to a receptacle and provided with an, exit opening in its peripheral wall, sealing means axially slidable upon the tubular member in surface engagement with both the inner and outer surfaces thereof and adapted to normally close said exit opening both from the inside and the outside, and cleaning means located internally of said closure for normally maintaining said sealing means in position to seal said exit opening and for returning it thereto, said cleaning means developing a cleaning action on said sealing means as the latter is axially operated.

5. A closure of the kind described comprising a tubular member adapted to be secured to a receptacle and provided with an exit opening in its peripheral wall. sealing means telescopically mounted on said member for normally sealing said exit opening from both the inside and the outside, said sealing means being depressible on said member to open said exit opening, and a spring located interiorly of said closure whereby said sealing means is maintained in and returned to its normal position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR HAMMERSTEIN. 

